The Washington Wizards haven’t had a lot of success recently, but they took a step in the right direction when they drafted Bradley Beal. Picked third in the 2012 NBA Draft the 6-foot-3 shooting guard had a lot of expectations.

One of those was to mesh with point guard John Wall as the Wizards are looking to build around him as their franchise player. The idea was that with Beal’s shooting ability he would have great chemistry with Wall and make quite the backcourt duo.

Beal is exactly what a NBA team wants in a shooting guard. He shoots the ball exceptionally well and with plenty of range. He’s also a good ball handler and playmaker, which allows him to get to the rim with ease. Plus despite being a little undersized he is a strong defender.

Unfortunately Wall missed the first 33 games last season due to a knee injury. During this time Beal struggled, because he was asked to do too much. Tasked with primary ball handling duties he was forced into taking bad shots.

Then Wall came back and things changed. Beal was able to move off the ball and let Wall create. With both of them on the court Beal shot an impressive 47 percent from the field and 50 percent from the three point line. This was only 25 games, but they had instant chemistry. The team went 16-9 in those games, which was a bright spot in a pretty rough season.

Overall Beal shot 41 percent from the field and 39 percent from the three-point range. He averaged 13.9 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game earning him a spot on the 2012-2013 NBA All-Rookie First Team.

Beal is only 20 years-old and looks to be an eventual star. This upcoming NBA season he will play a huge part in the Wizards’ playoff race. He provides the team, and especially Wall, with a ton of spacing on offense. He can also give Wall a break at times and create offense for his teammates.

Defensively he will need work as most young players do. He is ahead of the curve when it comes to staying in front of his man, but he is still in the process of learning team defense. Beal is smart and will learn fast.

The only real concern is that he missed quite a few games due to various injuries last season. None of them were serious, though, and he is young enough to come back just as strong.

In addition to all of his skills on the court he also carries himself well and seems like a really good kid. He is a hard worker and that combined with his talent will make his career long and successful. Wall and Beal combined should be incredibly exciting and possibly the best backcourt in the NBA for years to come.